Eloat-controlled device



April 2, 1929. c. REEDER 1,707,926

FLOAT CONTROLLED DEVICE Filed Dec. 31, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet l April 2, 1929.

F. C. REEDER FLOAT CONTROLLED DEVICE Filed Dec. 51, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet M T H mm v N w aw 8M. k A

Patented Apr. 2 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK C. REEDER, OF KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE FULTON SYLPHON COMPANY, OF KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

FLOAT-CONTROLLED DEVICE.

Application filed December 31, 1926.

This invention relates to mechanism for transmitting motion from a float to an element to be controlled by the relative position of said float.

Various float controlled regulating devices have heretofore been suggested, and employed to a considerable extent, wherein the necessities or expediences of the installation have called for the location of the float at some distance from the element to be controlled thereby, and various forms of mechanical transmissions for connecting the float with t 1e element to be controlled have been suggested and employed, but these mechanical transmissions have many disadvantages. If they are positive in their action they are subject to considerable wear, particularly at the joints or pivots, with a resulting lost motion that destroys accuracy or nicety of control; if they are not positivein their action, the control isrough and uncertain; they are frequently complex in construction and sometimes subject to ready derangement.

It is an object of this invention to provide a mechanism for transmitting motion from a float to an element to be controlled which is positive and certain in its action and free from lost motion, and which is relatively simple and rugged in construction.

Another object of this invention is to provide a mechanism for transmitting motion from a float to an. element to be controlled which is flexible in character so as to permit its use in a wide variety of constructions wherein the location and distance of the element to be controlled with reference to the float may be varied within relatively wide limits.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device of the character described which includes a readily attachable and detachable transmission unit so that in the event of injury to the transmission device a substitute transmission unit may be readily installed in place of the injured unit, said unit being of a simple, light and compact construction which may be readily standardized, kept in stock, transported and installed without the use of skilled labor.

Other objects will appear as the description of the invention proceeds.

The invention is capable of receiving a variety of mechanical expressions, one of which has been shown on the accompanying drawings, but it is to be expressly understood that Serial No. 158,361.

the drawings are for purposes of illustration only and are not to be construed as a definition of the limits of the invention, reference being had to the appended claims for that purpose.

Referring in details to the drawings, wherein the same reference characters are employed to designate corresponding parts,

Fig. 1 is a perspective of an embodiment of i the present invention, and

Fig. 2 is an elevation, partly in section, of the embodiment of Fig. 1.

In the form shown, a float box 1 of any suitable size, shape, construction and material is provided with suitable inlet and outlet openings 2 so that said float box may be suitably connected with the source or container of liquid the level of which is to be controlled. lVithin said float box 1 is a float 3 of any suitable size, shape, construction and material, and shown as a spherical shell suitably attached to a float arm or lever 4 (shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2). Said float arm extends from said float 3 through an opening in the lateral wall of the float box 1, and is shown as housed in an extension 5 of the float box, which extension is suitably attached to the float box as by the flanges 6 and bolts 7 The outer end of the float rod or lever 4 is attached in any suitable way to a shaft or spindle 8 which has bearing in the outer extremity of the extension 5 and extends to the outside of said extension through a stufling box 9. Mounted on said spindle S and suit ably attached thereto, as by set screws 10, so as to prevent relative rotation, is a crank 11 to which is pivotally connected at 12 a thrust rod. 13. If desired, the spindle 8 may also be provided with an arm 14: projecting through an aperture in the outer end thereof and suitably retained therein, said arm 14 carrying an adjustable weight 15 whereby the float and its arm may be counterbalanced or a torque imparted to the spindle 8 for exerting an initial thrust on the rod 13.

Mounted on the float box or its extension, and preferably retained in position by some oi? the bolts 7, is a bracket 16 having a slot 17 extending inwardly from the periphery thereof. Mounted on said bracket 16 is one element of a fluid transmission device composed of a pair of expansible and collapsible vessels 18 and 19 connected by a long flexible tube 520, said vessels 18 and 19 with their intern'iediate connecting tube 20 constituting ol? the vessel lflhas a tubular boss through which the tnlie 2U communicates wltli the interior ol. said vessel and in whieh said tulr-e is hex-mutually sealed in any suitahle W: 3]. The movahle end. wall 22} (it said vessel it; is provided with means for ready at taehnient to and detaelnnent from the thrust rod 13. being shown as provided with a T head 24. to enge ient in a slot in the end of the thrust rod 13 or in a memher 25 suitahly r ieoured to the end oil? said rod. Slot 1'? is designed to receive the tubular boss .22 and said boss may he retained in said slot in any suitable w. ,y, as by clamping; the stationary end Wt ll 21. to the bracket 16 by a tuhular nut 26 threaded ontotho end of said boss, said, nut being; shown pnovided with a eonieally flared outer end to prevent sharp bends 'n the fl xible tube 20. The tube 20 may be of any sui'tahle type and ronstrnelion but is preterz bly provided with a metallie sheath.

The stationary end Wall 27 oiv the vessel 1!) islixedly clamped in position, in any suitable way in a slot in a frame 28 assoeiated with the element to be controlled. In the form showrna tubular nut 29 is provided for eoaetion with the threaded extremity ol the tubular bosslt) througg h whit-h the endot the tube 20 eommunieates with the interior of the vessel ll) and in whieh said tuhe end is hermetirally sealed. Nut 29. is also p e'lierahly n'oridetl with a tiered extrenaly to prevent sharp bends in the tube 20. 'lhe movable end wall, ill ol said vessel 1%) is prin'ided with suitable means for atlaehn'ient to a. stem or rod' 32 extending; to the element to be controlled. in the term ehown. said movz ble end. wall 31 has a. 'l head -33 for eoaetion with a. T slot in the nu-mber 23 i; suitably mounted on, the rod 32. lled aemmuri to theeleinent to be elmtrolled. slmwndi; '11.ainnia'titailly as a valve meehanisau3f.

l'l desiieih the expansible and eollapsible vessels l8 and 19 may be proteeted alter they are mounted in position by nenns oil? light metal covers 36 and respertively, and and inoul'itml in position in any suitable way as by serews 258 in the ease of the cover 36.

'lhe expansible and cl'illapsibie Vessels l8 and 19 with their eonununirating tube 20 constitute a readily attaehable and detachable unit beeause the vessel .8 may be readily imierted into or withdrawn from the slot 17 in the lll'lllflitt 16 when the nut QGis loosened,

ardize l' and is both eonipnet and light in wen, l. at it may be readily kept in stock ion and disconnection, an in o't its eonnee and. a ti'ainiported. ()wing tot-lie facility jured unit ma J. h y he withdrawn and a new unit installed by the use ul attendant without the use o'l special tools or the requirement ol s}. eeia-l skill.

in. the term ,shliwn. the rising of ti {loat- 3 will exert a pull on the rod 13 and a consequent open ing o'l': the valve by reason. of the loree transmitted through the timid column within the vessels 18 and 19 and C011- neetiug tulle 20. while a lowering of the float will for similar roast ns eause a closing of the valve. lly lll-Illiilfi); the orank arm 11. through 180 or by PLVU all g the ralre mechanism the valve may be (dosed as the lloat rises and opened as the itloat lmvers. While a valve has been shown as the element to be mutrelhnh it is to be expressly understood that such ralve has heen selected as ty] i *al of any suitable element to be ol'introlled by the 1novement of the float.

It will. therefore be perceived that a simple and rugged ineehanuan tor transmitting inoton from float to an elen'ient to be controlled has been provided, aid this transn'iission is positive in. action and little subject to wear and lost motion. It also flexihle in character because, owing to the tier:- ible tube 20 which may be madeot any suitable length, the element tobe controlled ean he located in any d 'red relation to the float and at any desired distance from the float up to the length of the tube 2t). Also ow ng; to the readily attaehahle and delaehable character of the t'ansmission unit eniployed the tfiansinissionmechanism may be readily repaired irrthe event of injury theretowithout dismantlingeither the float tank or the element tohe controlled; Thereby replacements can be made without diseontirming the operation of the apparatus as has heretofore been necessary when the level of the liquid must be lowerml in order to open up the float tanlcor the fluid under control must be shut oll'in orde to open-up the valve mechanism.

lVhile the embodiment of the invention illustrated on the drawings has been described with considerable 1)t11'tl 31lltt1'l it is to he expressly; understood that the lIlVL tion is not restricted thereto, as the same e;ip able of receiving a variety of meehanieal expressions, some of which will now readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art, while changes may be made in the details of onstruction, arrangement and'proportion oi. parts, without depai Lin" from the spirit fl this invention. Reference is thereitorc to be had to the claims hereto appended tor a deiinition oi? the limits of the invention.

l /lmt is claimed is:

1. ln a float-controlled mechanism, in combination with a 'l'loat and floatactuated member and an element to be controlled from, a readily attachable and detachable fluid-transmission unit interposed between and at lied to said float actuated member and said element.

2. in a float-controlled mechanism, in combination with. a float and float-zwtuated member and an elementto be controlled tl'iere'l rom, a readily mountable and demountable trzmsmission unit in erposed be tween said float actuated member and said element and comprising. a flexible member permitting any desired orientation and spacing or the float and elem nt and means for readily connecting said unit with and disconnecting it from said float-actuated member and said element.

In a float-controlled mechanism, in combination with a. float and float actuated .n'ien'ibor and an element to be controlled thereli'rom, a readily n'iountable and demountable fluid transmission unit interposed between said float act rated member and said element and composed of a pair communicating expansible and collapsible vessels charged with an incompressible fluid, and 11 cans for readily connecting said vessels to and disconnecting them from said float actuated member and said elen'ient, respectively.

l. in a float-controlled mechanism, in combination with a float and float actuated meu'ihcr and an element to be controlled ther 'rom, a readily mountable and den'iountable fluid transmission unit interposed between said float actuated member and said element, said transmission unit comprising a pair oi? expansible and collapsible vessels couuuuuicating through a longflexible tube and charged with an incompressible liquid, and means For readily connecting said transmission unit to and disconnecting it from said float actuated member and said elcn'lent.

5. in a float-control]ed. mechanism, in combination with a float and an element to be controlled therefrom, a rotary spindle to which said float connected, a member ac tuated by the rotation of said spindle, and a fluid. transmission unit interposed between said member and said element.

6. In a float-controlled mechanism, in combination with a flout and an element to be controlled therefrom, a rotary spindle to which said float is connected, :1 member actuated by the rotation of said spindle, and

readily attachable and detachable transmission unit attached to said member and said element, respectively and comprising a flexible ll'lOll'llJGl' enabling the relative location andseparation oil the float and element to be varied at will without al'l'ccting the control of the element by the float.

'7. .111 a floatcontrolled mechanism, in combination with a float and an element to be controlled therefrom, a rotary spindle to which said float is connected, a member actuated by the rotation oii said spindle, and a fluid transmission unit interposed between said member and said element, said unit comprising communicating cxpansible and. col lapsible vessels charged with incompressible liquid and readily conncctiblc with and discoimectible from said member and said element, respectively. 8. In afloat-controlledmechanism, in com bination with a float and an element to be controlled therelron'i, a rotary spindle to which said float is connected, a member actuated by said spindle, and a fluid transmission unit interposed between and readily attachable to and detachable from said member and said element, said unit con'iprising readily mountableand demoimtable expansiblc and collapsible vessels communicating; through a long flexible tube and ch urged with an incon'r pressible liquid.

9. in a float-coutrollaul mechanism, in combination with a float and float actuated membe. and an element to be controlled therei i-e111, a housing for the float, a frame adjacent the element to be controlled, a fluidtransn'iission unit, and readily detachable means tor mountin said unit on said housing and said frame in operative connection with said float actuated member and said element.

10. In a float-controlled mechanism, in con'ibination with a float and float actuated member and an element to'be controlled therefrom, a housing for the float, a frame adjacent the element to be controlled, a readily mountable and den'iountalile transmission unit, and means detachably mounting said unit on said housing and said frame in opcrative connection with said float actuated member and said element.

11. In a fl0at-controlled mechanism, in combination \ith a float and float actuated member and an element to be controlled therefrom, a housing for the float, a frame adjacent the element to be controlled, a fluidtransn'iission unit comprising communicating; expansible and collapsible vessels charged with an incompressible fluid, and means for detachably mounting said vessels on said housing and said frame, respectively, in operative connection with said float actuated member and said element.

12. In a float-controlled mechanism, in

combination with a float and float actuated momhei and an element to be who-dildo l hoi'oll'oin, :1 housing); for the float, al fiain miljaoont the element to be Controlled, a fluigltransmission unitconipi'ising :1 pair of @X- pmmihlo and collzmsihle vm-ssls COIlllIlillll- (:nl'ing through a long flexible tulle, 211ml nouns 'loi- :lolmrlmhly nmnniiiilg sziicl oss'ols on sold homing am will il i zunc, i'oop'ctivoly, in operative commotion with said float tlCtU- :lllll momho and Said olel'nont.

il 3. In a float-uonlzrollml mom-mm; in com-- hnmtion with a loot will an oh'mionl: 1'10 bo coniarolloal th ornl roin, a housi For he limit, a frame mljucvnl: th s element to he omit/rolled a fl'lllll--llzlilfillllr-ir:1l0fl unn: coznfn ising 1L pair of oxpmmihlo i'lilil collapsible 'vp ps oonnnnniouting l'hroog gh a flexible tube, Inc-(ins for (lfil'ilfillllllly mourning said vowels on Snitl housing 11ml said frame respectively, and i-onnooliions between said Vesel's zincl said llovit and clement respectively, completed by tho mom'iting of Sllltl Vttil, on said. housin and fi'zzn'w.

14:. 121 n, llozili-voi'ltrolleil lnechnnihin, in

b controlled t horelro n, :1 rotzii-y spindle to which Sm floiit coining-foam menibe actualeil by th' x 'o't ation of szi'id spindle, a r aklily at'ta'clmblh zind iltalhable flui cl-fifz nsn'iission unit comprising expansibl 1nd collapil'fle vssels oinnnhiiczltin'g thl iongh 2f flexible L mbo HllflfCllQLil to Silld ll'llllbcl' and said elen'i'en t, respotiyely, and means coopoizifing with said spindll' for imposing; an initizil lontl on shill Ufztnsini 'fioii unit.

In testimony whi eof I have signed this speoil'lbation.

FRANK (Q REEDE 

